Former Tokyo 2020 executive Haruyuki Takahashi was arrested on suspicion of bribery in August and more allegations were levelled against him last week in a widening investigation into corruption at the heart of the Games.
Sapporo mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto and Japanese Olympic Committee president Yasuhiro Yamashita were scheduled to visit International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne to talk up the bid later this month.Akimoto said that it had"nothing to do with the bribery case surrounding the Tokyo Olympics".
Former and current executives from business suit retailer Aoki Holdings and major publishing firm Kadokawa have also been arrested. The Asahi Shimbun daily in an editorial urged Sapporo to"hold off" on its 2030 bid until the scandal had been"resolved".Last year, the Asahi called for the Tokyo Olympics to be cancelled just two months before they were set to begin, accusing IOC officials of being"self-righteous".For all the domestic attention on the scandal, experts are doubtful it will have any impact when the IOC comes to choosing a 2030 host.
"I think of this very much as a local, political issue. It raised eyebrows as to why they're making such a meal out of what frankly is minor sponsor influence-peddling."Despite the misgivings of some, a survey conducted earlier this year found that a majority of people on the island of Hokkaido, where the city is located, were in favour of hosting the Games.
Previously, cities were required to put together costly bids and were pitted against each other before a vote determined the winner.
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